Session a Workshops

Session A Workshops

A1. Photography as Inquiry.

This is a full day photography workshop. Participants will consider ways of taking compelling and interesting photographs, explore different points of view and composition techniques, and discuss how photographs construct particular meanings. The morning will be spent taking photographs in small groups and the afternoon will be spent editing, presenting and discussing the images.

* This is part 1 of a 3 track workshop. You MUST register in all 3 sessions.

Presenter: Sylvia Kind (PhD, UBC) is an instructor in the Early Childhood Care and Education Department at Capilano University and works closely with the Capilano University Children’s Centre as an atelierista. She received a Ph.D. in Art Education and Curriculum Studies from UBC and is an exhibiting artist, working primarily in the textile/fibre processes and photography.

A2.Circle Times – What do you do with infants and toddlers?

This interactive presentation will address:

the developmental capacities of infants and toddlers for the use of song, rhyme and story
the value of song, rhyme and story at these varying ages
building capacity within very young children to attend, to participate, to remember and to enjoy group experiences of song, rhyme and story and
creating circles for toddlers that fit their developmental capacities and inclinations.

The presentation will draw on participant experience as well as that of the presenter; songs, rhymes and a story will be used. Handouts of workshop content and of songs and rhymes will be available for participants.

Presenter: Beth Hutchinson is the Provincial Coordinator of the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program®. She has been leading in this program since 1997 and working in the Infant Development Program since 1994. She found babies fascinating when she was a child and she still does.

A3.Positive Discipline for Childcare Providers: Helping to Raise Responsible, Caring and Respectful Children.

Positive Discipline teaches strategies to deal with misbehavior based on first understanding the child and, secondly, encouraging the development of valuable life skills. Through group discussion and interactive learning we will explore how brain development, temperament and developmental stages affect a child’s behaviours. We will also explore the basic concepts and tools of Positive Discipline that will help create a warm, respectful, encouraging and involved place for children, parents and child care providers emphasizing that babies and children do their best:

- When they experience a sense of belonging and significance, and feel a positive connection with others,

- When their developmental needs and abilities are understood and;

- When they receive kind, firm discipline that teaches and provides encouragement with long-term solutions.

Presenters: Maria Ogilvie, MA, RCC and Kara Mulligan, M.Ed, RCC have been working with children and families for over fifteen years providing behaviour support, consultation, individual, group and family counseling, and parent education. Maria and Kara currently work as Child and Youth Clinicians in the Mental Health sector, and are passionate about teaching child rearing strategies to parents, care givers and child care providers from a Positive Discipline approach.

A4.What is Natural Play?

What is Natural Play? What kinds of environments foster genuinely spontaneous imagination? How do we as early educators model key life skills: creativity, problem solving, self-regulation?

Join Bridgitte Alomes to explore the open-endedness of an unencumbered learning pallet. Reawaken your intuition to teach through space and invitation and watch the children thrive.

Each interactive Natural Play workshop runs for an hour and a half, and always incorporates elements of nature and minds that are open. See why so many School Districts have already joined in natural play. Participants are asked to bring an item from nature, a scarf or piece of fabric and their imaginations, and leave filled with ideas for their classrooms and inspiration galore.

Presenter: Founder and owner of Natural Pod, and passionate advocate of natural play (without any toys at all), Bridgitte Alomes has presented her “What is Natural Play?” workshop to close to 1000 frontline educators and administrative workers throughout BC since April 2010.

A5.An Intro to Storyoga™ & Some of its Playful Elements!

Gain the knowledge & tools you need to bring Storyoga™into your childcare setting.

This interactive presentation will cover:

- What Storyoga™ is...

- The benefits of Storyoga™ for children

- The key elements of Storyoga™including: story, linking story to yoga, a child friendly sun salutation/warm-up, fun floor poses, Storyoga™ songs, games/gross motor movements, relaxation & breathing techniques, as well as Vanessa’s top 10 Storyoga™ books!

- Participants will have the opportunity to experience first hand, a sample Storyoga™ class!

* Participants will receive a comprehensive workshop handout inclusive of a book and song list.

** Please bring a yoga mat if you have one.

Presenter:Vanessa Braun is an Early Childhood Educator and Certified Yoga Instructor. She is also the founder & instructor of Storyoga™ which is a self-designed program that brings together children’s literature & the joyous movement of yoga. Vanessa has been working with children for over six years and continues to be inspired by their free spirit, curiosity and sense of wonder. Vanessa has experience working in preschool, daycare and school settings as well as teaching programs specialized in children's literature and art.

A6. Administrators: All Things to All People

Combination of presentation and hands on workshop to bring away a daily / weekly/ monthly/ annual planning calendar to allow child care administrators to meet all aspects of their duties.

Presenters: Kitty Roberts and Christine Broatch have over a decade of licensing experience combined with direct administration of child care in a variety of settings.

A7. Music, Movement and More (for children from birth to 5)

David will take you through one of his music and movement classes, discussing the reasons why he does things, how he adds and changes words in songs, talk about the instruments suitable for young children, and discuss the amazing things youth children can do with music. A booklet with songs will be given out with the workshop.

Presenter: David Larsson, B. Mus, E. Ed., R.A. is a teacher of violin and viola for 38 years and conductor of youth orchestras and school orchestras for 32 years. He has taught music and movement in daycares for 6+ years. He is currently a conductor / musical director of Capilano Youth Orchestra and teaches in North Vancouver, Vancouver, and Richmond.

Session B Workshops

B1. Photography as Inquiry.

* This is part 2 of a 3 track workshop. You MUST register in all 3 sessions.

B2.Beyond Head & Shoulders: Integrating Diversity Concepts into Circle Time.

Experiences in the early years are critical for establishing a sense of self and understanding of the diversity of the communities where we live. Educators in child care programs are committed to going beyond the “head and shoulders” notion of circle time to offer programming that fosters appreciation of diversity, and provides life lessons that enhance the child’s the view of the world. Through interactive circle times that address diversity themes we can promote children’s positive self-esteem and healthy cultural identity. Through lecture, video presentation, discussion and hands on investigations in this 3 hour track, we will explore the basic tenets of diversity education for young children, the sticking points that keep us as child care providers from moving forward with this important aspect of early childhood education, and how to do it. Significant time will be devoted to examining a variety of resources that can help us feature anti-bias and diversity education into every circle time experience.

* This is part 1 of a 2 track workshop. You MUST register in both sessions.

Presenters: Gyda Chudhas over 30 years experience in the child care field. She has worked with young children in both community based and school settings, served as Program Coordinator of the Vancouver Community College ECE program and continues to participate in a number of child care organizations at the local, provincial and national levels. Nora Mejia, B.Ed. & ECE. Nora’s work in ECE is inspired by the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach as well as Montessori training. She is a diversity trainer for Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre.

B3.Create a Character for Circle Time!

Create a character, puppet and story for “Circle Time” to stimulate, engage and encourage young children into literature and their own imagination. Here is an interactive workshop created by an animated, energetic early childhood educator. Participants will enter into their own imaginations and learn or review why story time is a valuable rewarding time in daycares and homes. This will be a fun, creative and imaginative workshop so bring scissors, a smile and a sense of humour!

Presenter: Kate Dwyeris qualified in Great Britain in 1976 with the ECE/Infant Toddler diploma. I became an Elementary school teacher – taught and ran a Nursery School in England before moving to Los Angeles where I taught and wrote children’s plays. I later moved to Vancouver and opened my own family daycare when my son was small. I then worked in an Infant/Toddler program and ran a pre-school in North Vancouver before moving to the West Vancouver district where I now work with special needs students. Since 2007, I have been and am still fortunate enough to work as an ECE instructor at a Career College where I have the opportunity to mentor and teach new students to become Early Childhood Educators. Since 1976, I have never wavered from working with children, each day I have been able to laugh, encourage and play! I chose a great rewarding career.

B4.Exploring Elements of Risk in Outdoor Play: Air, Water, Earth and Fire.

VCH Licensing Officers will present this new and exciting workshop that explores the mysteries of the four elements air, water, earth and fire to embrace outdoor play and all that Vancouver weather has to offer. We will explore perceptions of risk and safety and break down the barriers to playing in the rain. Come and be inspired to create change.

Presenter: Vancouver Coastal Health Child Care Licensing Officers

B5.Storyoga Poses 101

Get ready to delve deeper...

During this 3 hour foundational workshop, participants will learn 10 - 15 "traditional” hatha yoga poses, and then explore ways to transfer these poses into a variety of Storyoga™/child friendlyforms. For example, see how “child’s pose” (balasana) can be transformed into seed, mouse, rock, mushroom pose etc. as well as how to apply these poses to specific stories/books.

Participants will learn how to "do" the foundational poses safely and effectively, and then see how these poses can be taken into a variety of animal/nature inspired forms!

*This workshop is an excellent follow-up to the morning “intro” session.

*Mini-manual will be available for purchase.

*Please bring a yoga mat if you have one.

* This is part 1 of a 2 track workshop. You MUST register for both sessions.

B6.Embrace Rwanda: Preschools in Rural Rwanda - Exploring Partnerships.

1. View short film “Mothers of Kigeme” showing the rural communities of Rwanda and the “Healthy Mums Project” to give the context for the preschool development in this area.

2. Report back on the findings of the Embrace Rwanda team’s visit, Summer 2011. There are currently 46 preschools in the area that face the challenge of educating and financially supporting their teachers, most of whom are young people who have not completed secondary school and who are now required to teach in English, their third language.

3. Interactive discussion on how we can develop global partnerships that will benefit both the Rwanda preschools and participants from Canada. Explore opportunities for volunteering and practicum placements in Rwanda.

Presenters: Hilary King is a North Shore resident who trained as a teacher in the UK and eventually moved into 20yrs of Community Development focusing on Health in Canada. More recently was Leader for Community Engagement for Vancouver Coastal Health. Has visited Rwanda for the last 6 years to develop health projects in rural communities. Dr Joan Lee received her PhD, with a specialization in Special Education, from the University of Oregon and her Masters in Education, with a specialization in Counseling, from the University of B. C. She also did graduate work in Early Childhood Education at Washington State University. For 35 years, she worked in the public education system in B.C. in elementary and secondary schools as well as for the Ministry of Education. In retirement, she is continuing her passion for encouraging educators through projects both in B.C. and in Rwanda.

Session C Workshops

C1. Photography as Inquiry.

* This is part 3 of a 3 track workshop. You MUST register in all 3 sessions.

C2.Beyond Head & Shoulders: Integrating Diversity Concepts into Circle Time.

* This is part 2 of a 2 track workshop. You MUST register in both sessions.

C3.Learning in the Forest

Nature is a wonderful teacher, and free play in natural places is important for children’s early learning and sense of place. Discover why adult mentors play such an important role in nature education. Learn about the growing movement towards forest schools and how you can incorporate elements of this style of outdoor learning into your our classroom. If you don’t have a forest or a stream nearby, how can you provide excellent outdoor learning opportunities for your students?